Michelle Piergoelam – Fourteen Leaves and a Cup of Water

'Fourteen Leaves and a Cup of Water' by Michelle Piergoelam explores the botanical knowledge of enslaved communities in Suriname as a source of survival, resistance, and cultural continuity. During her journey through the rainforest in Suriname, she photographed plants first described in 1755 by the Swedish biologist Daniel Rolander. The project connects art, scientific research in collaboration with Naturalis Biodiversity Center, and shamanism through collaboration with local experts. Nearly 270 years after Rolander, the Surinamese rainforest continues to hold new stories waiting to be heard and made visible. The work forms part of Piergoelam’s ongoing project The Untangled Tales, centred on Surinamese heritage and the legacy of slavery.